Bernard Spragg Wikimedia Commons CC0

Our containers have been offloaded and unpacked, and the relocation of our main Checker Maven office from Santa Fe to Honolulu is at least relatively complete; there's always more to do and we wonder if anything like this is ever really quite finished. It took a little longer than expected, which again is not a big surprise, but we're happy to be here and to have a long and complex move behind us.

As we've said before, our parent company, Mr. Fred Investments, couldn't continue to maintain two locations for a subsidiary that was never intended to make a profit (and surely doesn't!). This has been our second downsizing, but it's been, we hope, without sacrificing content or quality. And now, with the economy beginning to come back at least somewhat, we look forward to a bright future. Thanks for staying with us.

Michael Podger PICRYL CC0

It's said that April showers "bring May flowers." Certainly, that's true at least in certain parts of North America, where, after a long winter season, the arrival of spring as a harbinger of warmer days is much awaited and indeed can't seem to come quickly enough.

And speaking of "quickly" it's our first column of the month, which brings neither showers nor flowers, but a speed problem. This one requires a little more thought than some others, and so we'll set the clock to 60 seconds. Can you solve our one-minute mystery? Click on the link below to set the second hand in motion and reveal the problem. Then, come back and click on Read More to have the solution rain down upon you.

April Speed Problem (medium difficulty)

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There's no doubt that many a great man was a checkerist, and you'll see why we've chosen the title Great Men Like Checkers for today's Checker School column when you read through the solution section.

The definition of a great man can vary. Some think of great national leaders, others think of religious figures, and still others might vote for sports heroes. There is room for all of these, and more. Our photo above shows a great baseball player from the olden days, Christy Mathewson, who besides being a baseball Hall of Famer, was also a master checker player.

On the other hand, few people remember checkerist Fred Allen; and thought he might not be a member of the Hall of Fame, he is credited with a very fine and instructive checker position, which forms the subject of our column today. In our opinion, it's more than enough to secure Mr. Allen's place in checker history.

F. ALLEN
WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W17,13,K9:B18,K15,12,10.

It's an intriguing layout: the near-symmetry of the three per side on the right offset by the lone extra Black man on square 12. Is it enough for a Black win? According to Mr. Allen, it is indeed, but it's all in knowing how. Can you demonstrate your own checker greatness by showing how it's done? Solving the problem likely won't make you into a Hall of Famer, but work it through and then click on Read More to see the solution, no less than five sample games (this is indeed a practical exercise), and explanatory notes.

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We'd likely be correct if we were to claim that when we say the word "masterpiece" an image such as the painting above, Da Vinci's incomparable Mona Lisa, would come to mind. Certainly it's something that will be recognized for all time as a great work of art.

Of course, great artistry exists in many fields of human endeavor. Much as there are renowned painters, there are sculptors, poets, composers, and more. There is an artistry to our game of checkers too, as most experienced practitioners are surely aware. Now, we won't say checker artistry quite reaches the level of Mona Lisa, but it can still be quite amazing.

One of checker's greatest artists had to have been Willie Ryan, and in his book Trips Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard, he collected more than a few checker masterpieces. Today, he'll tell us about one that he calls Martins' Masterpiece.

"Here is how the redoubtable Robert Martins vanquished an unwary adversary with a blaze of sudden fireworks on the ending of a Whilter game. This stroke is considered by many authorities to be the best concealed sweep recorded in checker literature.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W11,13,16,17,19,24,27,32:B2,4,5,6,7,K26,20.

A---This is where Martins lowered the boom. Bringing out the king 30-25 lands a draw easily with the following play: 30-25, 17-14, 6-10, 14-9, 5-14, 13-9, 14-18, 9-6, 2-9, 11-2, etc."

2---The game was played perfectly by both sides up to this point, but a single mistake is more than enough to end the game---Ed.

Demonstrate your own checker artistry by finding the win. We have to agree that it's a masterpiece in its own right. To see the solution, brush your mouse on Read More.

Everyone knows the old saying "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me."

But in our game of checkers, and especially in the realm of checker problems, we're willing to be fooled over and over again, and we react not with resentment but with enjoyment--- and thanks.

Who isn't pleased to be fooled by a problem composed by someone as great as Tom Wiswell? See what you think of the one below.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Draw

W:W11,15,21,27,28,32:B3,4,8,14,20,25.

We warn you that this is a difficult problem, though it has at its heart a simple theme. Will you be fooled but delighted? Or will you fool around enough to find the solution? Give it a try, and then give a no-fooling click on Read More to see the solution.

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It is sometimes said that in the Northern Hemisphere, the month of March roars in like a lion with winter storms featuring high winds, snow, and cold temperatures. What a prospect to contemplate! We have a better idea, and so for our top-of-the-month column, we're bringing you a stroke problem that roars like a lion, but has the courtesy to at least do so indoors, where a warm fire and a hot drink are just the right accompaniments.

BLACK

WHITE
White to Play and Win

W:W27,23,18,17,14,13,11,7:BK32,K22,K21,9,6,5,2.

When you have yourself roared through the problem, click on Read More to see the solution.

Maral Sassouni CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

There are people who talk a lot, and despite our illustration above, we don't at all mean to stereotype this behavior. Copious yakking knows no boundaries of gender, group, or anything else.

At times, wordiness can be most beneficial. For instance, our monthly Checker School columns usually contain rather verbose advice and explanation, and we think that's a good thing, as it makes the lessons easier to learn and apply. But this month, Ben Boland, the original source of our current pedagogical series, is untypically laconic. Is it because the material is easier than usual? Or was Mr. Boland having an especially quiet day? We can't know the answer, but we can have a look at the subject study, which traces back to a certain L. J. Vair.

L. J. VAIR
WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W24,20,K10:B15,11,K5,3.

You might say that the position speaks for itself; Black is a man up and ought to be able to win. Yet, it's trickier than you might think at first glance. Can you get the last word on this problem or will it leave you speechless? We're only going to say that clicking on Read More will bring you to the solution, a sample game, and explanatory notes.

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During the coming week, The Checker Maven is relocating full-time to Honolulu, Hawai`i.

Our Santa Fe offices closed permanently on February 26, 2010. Business will resume in our Honolulu office on March 8 at partial capacity; we expect to be back to full operation before the end of March.

We will of course publish a new column each Saturday morning during the transition, without interruption or delay.

daryl_mitchell CC BY-SA 2.0

We've had a great run in Santa Fe, but it's time to move on and consolidate in the interests of reduced costs and efficiency.

Catch you soon at our Honolulu office.

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Alan Turkus CC BY 2.0

The expression "hot stuff" has a number of different meanings and uses, and our photo above definitely shows a number of one type of scorcher. Scorchers exist as well in our game of checkers, and who else is as uniquely qualified as Willie Ryan to discuss them? Mr. Ryan, who was "hot stuff" of the checker sort in his own day, calls the following play "Scott's Scorcher" in his book Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard. Let's let Willie tell us more.

"We found the Dyke game and stroke, described here, hidden in an old tome, credited to W. Scott, and it is altogether too good to pass by unnoticed. In this example, the winning clearance is effected by employing one of those peculiar in-and-out devices so widely used in stroke strategy.

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W32,30,28,27,25,22,21,13,12:B20,19,14,10,8,6,5,2,1.

A---White dares not play 16-11, as black will force white into this crushing coup: 16-11, 10-15, 31-27---5, 14-17*!, 21-14, 19-23, 27-18, 6-9, 13-6, 1-26, 30-23, 15-29. A very unusual 'double-take.'

B---The beginning of the end. However, white still can pull out with a draw, by: 30-26*---6, 10-15, 13-9*, 6-13, 16-12, 8-11, 27-24, 20-27, 32-7, 2-11, 26-23, 11-16, 28-24, 16-20, 23-19, 20-27, 19-10, 27-31, 10-7, 31-26, 7-2, 26-17, 2-7, 1-6, 12-8, 5-9, 7-11, 17-22, 25-18, 14-23, 11-15, 23-26, 8-3, 26-30, 3-7, 9-14, 7-2, 6-9, 2-6, 30-26, 15-10. Wm. F. Ryan."

3---This move may actually lose. 32-27 is much to be preferred here---Ed.

4---Gives back the edge; 20-24 would have retained the substantial advantage for Black---Ed.

5---White would do better here with 22-17, although the game may still be lost---Ed.

6---In a line of play that probably only a computer would find, KingsRow shows that the surprising move 13-9 will also draw here as White pulls off a stroke of his own: 13-9 6x13 16-12 8-11 27-24 20x27 32x7 2x11 etc. Drawn---Ed.

Are you "hot stuff" yourself? (Remember, we're talking checkers here.) Demonstrate your elevated temperature by solving the problem; but if you get overheated, clicking on Read More will take you straight to the solution.

Public Domain Wikimedia Commons

History will forever remember Sir Winston Churchill as the man who lead England to victory in the dark days of World War II. Sir Winston was a writer, painter, statesman, and politician; but above all, he was a leader who inspired and encouraged his people to endure, survive, and ultimately triumph. The Checker Maven has long admired the steadfast courage of the British people, and Sir Winston was its mainstay and embodiment.

We were reminded of Sir Winston when we saw the tutorial problem below; Black is to play and win, and Sir Winston's famous "V for Victory" seems to appear when the board is viewed from the White side, as shown below.

However, for the purpose of our study, since the terms specify Black to play, let's look at this the other way round.

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play, What Result?

B:W25,24,20,17,16:B10,7,6,3,1.

The terms given are not "Black to Play and Win" but since we are talking about "V for Victory" and Black has a nice V formation, you might make an assumption here. (Of course, you know what they say about assumptions.)

In any case, keep your courage, stay the course, find the way to potential victory, and then click on Read More to see the solution.